A New Battlefield
by Epic Insanity
Summary: Jane isn't strong. She's not built of muscle, doesn't have special powers or weapons, and she definitely has no hope of fighting off Loki when he rips her away in the battle for Manhattan. But there is one chance she has of saving everyone. The worst that could happen is she could die trying, right? Or be stuck with Loki forever. She isn't sure which is the worst fate.
1. A Philosophical Game

**This is based on the premise that Jane knew about the Avengers-doesn't know them personally (except Thor) and has only heard of Tony Stark via media coverage. She is in the city, so we'll see how that works out. Takes place in the battle for Manhattan. And yeah. Let's get this show on the road!**

**(This may or may not become a multi-chapter fic depending on how much motivation I feel to continue.)**

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**A Philosophical Game**

Loki's grip was ice against Jane's wrist as he drug her behind him. She felt if the bones were squeezed any tighter, her entire hand would shatter away from her arm into little frozen fragments. She wanted to tell him to lighten his touch, to stop moving so fast, to let her the hell go! But even though her only view of him was the strong back and proud shoulder in front, she knew that Loki was smirking right now, drinking in his victory.

For she was his victory.

The ultimate prize.

Thor's lover. At the mercy of his hand, cowering before Loki's own tall and mighty form.

Fighting against it would do no good, Jane knew. Loki was so highly set in his pride that he would only laugh and then probably break her wrist like he had broken the necks of her guards over an hour ago. For now, silence was the more intelligent choice.

Jane and her captor were walking down a street that had been destroyed when the fight began, sewer lines were exposed, fire hydrants had become geysers, blood and pieces of smoking flesh littered the concrete, and it was eerily quiet. Terrifyingly empty.

Up ahead, Jane could hear Tony Stark blowing his enemies into flaming bits. And he was probably having his famed AI keep score. In the distance behind, even through the black smoke in the sky, she could see Thor throwing lightning as easily as a child would throw a stick in his game of war. And when Loki was tugging too fast to allow Jane to crane her neck towards the sight of hope, she could still hear it in the thunder.

Jane had never met any of the other Avengers, or even so much as knew their names-code or legal-but she hoped that they were winning, prayed to whoever was listening that their feet would be light and their weapons sturdy in confident handling. And she hoped they would find Loki and impale him with the horns on his own helmet.

"A beautiful day, is it not?" Loki asked, still keeping his eyes ahead as he stepped over the body of one of his fallen minions.

Jane didn't know how to react at first. He wanted to talk about _what_? "I'm sure it would be if you hadn't turned this city into a massive battlefield."

He swung around and she nearly fell into him at the sudden motion. Green eyes were bright with excitement. She wanted to be sick. The bastard was actually enjoying the image of a world turned on its head and burning. "Ah, you are slightly correct, Jane Foster."

Blinking in confusion, Jane finally tried to jerk away her hand. She might as well have been a rabbit scrambling in a wolf's jaw.

"You see, contrary to popular belief, I am no lover of destruction."

"You are the God of Mischief. And also lies, I believe?" she snarled, getting closer and wanting to spit in his pale face. "It's that a little...antipodean?"

Loki laughed and she wanted to vomit. His face had three tiny cuts on it and his lip was split, but apparently in the process of healing at hyper speed because she could have swore that ten minutes ago the cut was twice as big. Here he was, bringing war to _Earth_, getting away with but a few temporary scars and a laugh at her expense. If only she could knock him in the gut...

"You are very clever, Jane Foster. I can see why my brother is so taken with you." His eyes scrunched up in a smile that could have been endearing if not for the subject matter. Then he looked at the destruction around with a kind of disgusted smirk. "I find no enjoyment in the sight of death. I did not want to see the streets upturned and the buildings toppled. But it had to be done."

He resumed movement, taking her toward a painfully tall building at the top of which a large chunk was missing. Jane imagined that's where all the glass and metal beams she was now walking over came from. It crunched beneath her boots.

"You people are so reluctant to allow me to save your world from itself. I was forced to move my hand and allow the Chitauri access."

"So the ends justify the means?"

They walked through the doorway-once shining with gold trim, now blown away into nonexistence-and into the dark building. A flash of electricity sparked from the wall and Jane jumped.

"Yes," Loki replied, "And that is what makes this a beautiful day despite the bloodshed. This is a cleansing fire."

Loki led Jane to an elevator that was obviously not in working condition (didn't they require closing doors to function?) and let go of her wrist, giving a mock bow as he motioned for her to enter.

"I'm not going in there."

He rose from the bow and in the darkness of the building, only the bright green of his eyes caught the light. "And here I thought I was being gentlemanly. Do maidens not find such actions dashing on Midgard?"

"When performed by a psychopath trying to destroy the world for some trumped up stab at self acceptance-or whatever you're doing-no."

The electricity sparked again and bathed the area with light and color for a second. Loki was all black and green, with shadows under his eyes. For a moment, he looked terrifying. A beast with no qualms about killing an offensive scientist.

And wasn't that what he was?

He moved faster than she could think, so fast that she didn't even realize he was standing inches away unil the spit from his enraged snarl hit her cheek.

"I will not be addressed as such, you pathetic pawn." One step away from him could not be held as he moved with her retreating form. She knew it would have been smarter to stay silent. "I, who could split your mind in two, spin that pretty little head of yours with horrors, crush you in a thought-I, who have allowed you life for a few more sputter-filled seconds, who might have let you see your beloved Thor again in the last moments of existence-"

Her body shook with terror at the tone of Thor's mention. Loki recognized it and in an instant his rage was replaced by cold humor once again, words dripping with hatred.

"Yes, Jane Foster, you will see your precious Thor again. One last time. Such shall be a heroic moment for bards to sing of for millennia to come..."

Knees bending, he lowered himself to look directly into her eyes. Cold metal brushed against her forehead. He was so close, too close, but she held his gaze.

"How the God of Thunder died to protect his mortal love."

Jane couldn't stop herself. It was stupid, stupid, stupid, but somehow her system had gone into emotional override, spurred on by the maliciousness of his words and the cruel beauty of his eyes. The sound of her hand slapping his face away startled both of them equally.

Now he would kill her.

All was silent unless one counted the sound of explosions miles away. Jane's hand froze in the air, a sword raised in defense.

And Loki was...laughing?

"You...are the most _charming _woman, are you not?" He blinked a few times as he looked at her seriously, like he was solving a delicate puzzle.

"And you're bipolar," she replied with a shiver.

Loki's laughter quieted, but the smile remained dominant on his face. With a snap of motion, he ensnared her wrist once more and pulled her into the elevator with him. They stood in darkness for a few moments, Jane absorbed in thoughts of how to warn Thor of what Loki was planning. Maybe he would be too busy fighting to come. But Jane knew that Thor was a man of valor and would defend those he cared about. Blast his diamond-quality characteristics.

Loki moved the fingers of his right hand in a sort of wave and the elevator lights came on. Instantly, the sliding metal door closed. Loki punched the number for the top floor and up they went. There was even soft music coming from an unseen speaker.

Jane was astounding, almost impressed, and full of loathing for this being. Because he wasn't a man, this dirt bag. She could never classify him as that.

The elevator did not end up taking them to the top. It probably had something to do with that fact that said top was no longer there. "No matter," Loki said before pushing her out, "I promise you'll still have an excellent view."

The floor was still largely intact, but the ceiling was gone, allowing sunlight to stream directly down. This building looked to have been a house for executive offices with the remnants of a wooden desk and paintings scattered around. Jane stumbled over debris.

"You're not exactly graceful, are you?"

"Well, you did push me," she grumbled.

"I apologize. Sometimes I forget to be careful with my toys."

Jane glared at him, remembering how he'd called her a "pathetic pawn". It seemed that was all she and her mortal self could do: be pushed around by people with bigger fists. Colleagues, the government, this larger-than-life villain who seemed to find her backlash amusing.

"I'm not going to let you use me to get to Thor."

Loki stepped over the chair arm that had caught her feet and invaded her space again. The wind ripped at their exposed bodies and grabbed the edges of his green cloak. It danced behind him, just as the gleam of pleasure ("Insanity," Jane thought) twisted and twirled in his eyes.

"I don't believe you have much say in this matter." From this proximity, Jane could smell the crazy coming off of him, along with the scent of leather and a strange mixture of earth and rainwater that reminded her of peaceful days long before New Mexico. 'He could have his own damn cologne,' she thought, 'but that doesn't make standing next to him any more appealing.'

"You cannot change how he thinks about you, how his first reaction will be to race to your rescue." His voice took on a theatrical lilt as he described the scene.

"I will tell him not to save me." But how true was that? In a moment of pure desperation, would she be so strong? Could she be as selfless as the members of the Avengers hacking through an alien army while she battled to simply remain standing beside this monster?

Loki sensed her doubt and played with it. "Then I suppose I'll just have to make you my new pet, shall I? After all, if you refuse to allow Thor to rescue you, I may as well have a little fun at his expense."

Jane wanted to vomit. In fact, her stomach was becoming rather upset with anxiety. Stress boiled deep in her gut, setting down camp for the long run.

"Come now, it wouldn't be so terrible," Loki stepped away finally and Jane felt light-headed as a rush of relief flooded her. "I would take you to your world's most fantastic cities." His hands swept up in a grand gesture. "As I conquer them."

"You will obliterate them."

"Now, now, not all humans are such mindless fighters as you _Americans_. I'm sure the eastern world will be more open to the idea of my rule once the most powerful nation is brought to its knees."

Jane couldn't take it anymore. The thought of the United States...just gone...she shakily went to her knees and pulled her arms around herself. "You can't win," she whispered more to herself than to him. "We will never stop fighting."

"These are only hopes, faint wishes that you know to not be true."

She shook her head and kept her vision on the floor. Splinters and shards of glass were all over the blue carpet. "It is true. Human nature is to fight, is to rebel against any rule that is not self-rule!" she insisted.

"There have been slaves many times before, Jane Foster. But this time instead of one human serving another, all shall be equal under my rule. There will be no reason for wars any longer. There will be peace."

"Slavery is not freedom!"

"Freedom is the most convoluted, vile concept in this realm! It inspires each of you to waste your short lives on senseless prizes, to chase after things which are worth nothing but cost everything to gain. You destroy the humanity you're so proud of for mere stones when I could give you gold!"

Loki was vibrant in his passion, speaking softly but with such emotion that Jane would not be astonished if others of lesser wills would grow to believe him. His presentation made her heart beat firmly in her chest, but not in accordance with his vision. It was a rush of understanding that this is where her battle was to be fought.

If she could somehow change Loki's mind or distract him from his goals long enough to give the Avengers the upper hand, then there may still be hope.

"Fine," she said. Her voice was steady and her gaze found his.

He looked confused and in her adrenaline, a smile came to her face at the sight. "May I ask was is so...'fine'?"

"Take me as your hostage, your pet, whatever," Jane stood as she found surety in her words. This was her battleground. "Show me your grand schemes and prove that humans are as adapted to slavery as you believe."

His eyes narrowed and once again Jane felt as if she were made into a billion puzzle pieces that he obsessively wanted to put together. "Why should I do this?"

"Because you can use me against Thor." She knew it was a long shot, but if she could get Loki far enough away from Thor, the words she had spoken wouldn't even be a possibility. In fact, she could stop the war right here in New York by just buying everyone a little more time.

"And why do you propose this? You who hold so fiercely to your freedom want to sell it?" He stepped slowly around her, circling and observing her at all angles to find where the edges of his puzzle began.

"Because I'm going to show you how fruitless your efforts are." He sneered. "I will give you the chance to prove me wrong and you will allow me the same opportunity."

"Since when did this become a philosophical game, Jane?"

Jane gasped a little at the informal use of only her first name. She was accustomed to the Asgardians strict use of formality. But she recovered. "Since you decided to start playing God."

Loki took two large strides and came behind her. She could feel his breath on her neck and the comforting smell returned. This was what she needed to do.

"I will accept your offer." The deep quality of his voice sent a tremor down her spine.

Loki placed his hands on her shoulders and the next thing Jane knew, they were gone.

She hoped she had not just made a very stupid decision.


	2. Checking Out the Enemy

**Here you go! Chapter Two, all yours for the taking and devouring. It's a bit shorter, but I ended it where I wanted. I don't feel like I made Loki enough of a heartless bastard in the first chapter, so I tried to bring it out more here.**

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**Checking Out the Enemy**

The world was spinning around Jane: spirals of color, morphing faces and landscapes, rhythmically dilating voices. She felt if she were to move one inch, she would be sucked into the vortex and ripped into jello-like mush. Thankfully (she couldn't believe she was grateful for it) Loki was holding onto her shoulders with such an intensity that she knew there would be bruises when it was all over. But at least she wasn't going to fly away.

It couldn't have lasted more than a few seconds. But the entire ordeal felt like an hour, so when it stopped Jane was undeniably seasick.

Jane put a hand to her stomach and mumbled, "I'm going to be sick."

Loki took her other hand with the same strength he'd used on her shoulders and dragged her behind him once again. Jane wondered when he would finally just get a leash-along with wondering if she should tell him to stop for a second or risk getting vomit all over his back.

When she lifted her eyes, she realized that they weren't in New York anymore. Her stomach ached even more to think of what Thor and the others would think when they discovered her missing.

The first thing she noticed about this new land was the air was painfully muggy. It was like the heat was a tangible force re-swallowing her with every step. Also, there was an enormous-almost vulgar-amount of trees. They were in a forest with pine needles softening the sound of their steps.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"This land, I believe, is known to you as the lone star state," Loki replied, sounding oddly chipper.

Loki wanted to attack..._Texas_? Was he out of his mind? Well, obviously, but still-

"Wait, you can't just start a war with Texas!" she exclaimed.

Loki looked over his shoulder for a second and from his expression, Jane gathered that he wanted nothing more than to do just that. "Why ever not?"

"Because these people will be the last to bow, believe me. They don't...they don't give up freedom for anything."

Loki laughed his terror-inciting laugh. It promised confidence on his part and pain for everyone else.

"Besides, you don't have any army here! They are in New York." Jane feared that bringing a fight to Texas, where the people were notorious for striking back when provoked, would only end in brutal devastation on both sides. Unrelenting force, immoveable object, and all that.

Another chuckle made her head dizzy with worry.

And suddenly, they emerged from the wilderness.

It wasn't a stark change. There was an empty road bordered by trees and silence. Above, the sun blazed, but it was setting. Jane hadn't realized how much time had passed since her guards had been killed.

To her relief, Loki released his grip so he could reach his arm out and grab the staff that materialized from thin air. The gold weapon rippled with power, even Jane could sense that.

He brought the staff above his head and then struck the ground with it. Jane almost expected some explosion or shockwave to go through the trees from all the finesse with which he moved, but nothing happened.

Initially.

After thirty seconds of standing there, Jane was about to try the don't-bomb-Texas argument again when she heard a roaring motor approaching. The sound alone screamed "luxury vehicle" and she wondered who on earth would be driving a hundred thousand dollar car in the middle of nowhere.

Loki raised his hand in the direction of the car and Jane saw sunlight glint off of a black exterior. She did not like the mischievous look in Loki's eye.

"Don't kill them," she said strongly.

His hand did not lower.

"Please, don't kill them."

"Convince me," he replied without looking at her. All of his attention was focused on that car. It hummed with life.

"There are people in there-or a person-with a life, and a family, and a right to that life. They aren't standing in your way, they haven't done anything-"

"My, you are bad at this. I feel a twinge of pity none," Loki smirked.

Jane reached around his body and grabbed the black leather of his sleeve. His eyes jerked down on her and she peered desperately into his green orbs, trying to find a lick of compassion. Thor had spoken fondly of his brother at one point, so surely Loki had not always been so cruel.

The car was getting close. The engine flared.

"Please," she whimpered, "Don't do this."

The corners of Loki's mouth turned down as he returned her stare full on. Jane was trembling and found she could not hold her gaze. Instead, she focused on his hand and willed it to lower.

"You've got to do better than that if you ever want to win," she heard him whisper in her ear. The air tickled her flesh and she was once again reminded of that pleasant smell he carried. It did not smell like this place with the heat and pine. No, there was something cool and fresh about it.

The car was five yards away. If Jane turned her head, she would see the light dancing off the freshly waxed exterior.

Loki's hand closed quickly into a tight fist. His nails dug into the palm of his hand. Jane screamed and closed her eyes, coiling her whole body near to his in an effort to protect herself from the ensuing explosion.

Or, the explosion that was supposing to be ensuing.

After a tense few seconds, Jane cracked open one eye and looked towards the now-silent car parked directly beside them. It looked as if it was waiting for Loki's command.

There it was, still shining in all its glory. Jane saw the Maserati icon on the silver grill and was amazed.

It was empty. There was no driver. She had been played.

Jane felt something shift around her and immediately realized that she was tightly pressed against Loki's chest.

With a sigh, Loki shoved her away and took a step forward to admire what he had summoned. The Quattroporte Sport GT S hummed back to life as he drew near, silver rims gleaming like the silver on his armor. He noted the brand emblem with particular satisfaction.

Jane meanwhile, skidded her hands on the asphalt to catch herself, wincing at the pain. 'Jerk,' she thought. She couldn't help but find attraction in the car, regretting the mental image of it slamming into Loki because of what it would do to the paint job. In her mind's eye, she could see him being thrown away by the collision in a very cartoon-like manner.

"Get up," he commanded.

Jane rubbed her scraped hands against her pants leg and shot him a glare, eyes slightly widening as she noticed his change in attire.

For once, what he wore wasn't dominantly black. Steel grey fabric was the focus of his suit jacket and slim trousers, with a blue collared shirt beneath and a striped tie of the same color as an added accent. His shoes were a polished black. He and the car looked very much out of place in the woody setting.

Jane followed the line of fine tailoring from his toes up to his lips which were pulled back in their customary smirk.

One mental smack later-and a vow to never "check out the enemy"-and the astrophysicist was on her feet.

"You'll be driving," Loki said. He gave the Maserati a gentle pat on the hood as if he were acknowledging a fine equestrian specimen.

"What? Can't you drive?" she smarted back as she walked over to the driver's side.

They both entered the car and Jane noticed that his staff was gone. Probably wherever he had deposited his armor and helmet.

"I will be doing something much more important." He sat down and ignored the seatbelt. For some reason, Jane couldn't picture him using one.

"Such as?" she asked while buckling herself in. Maybe if she rammed the Maserati into a tree and sent him flying through the windshield, the jerk would learn to take precautions. Or stop being so smug.

Suddenly, Jane felt something intensely powerful vibrate in the air. It thudded in her heart and made the purr of the engine seem that of a kitten.

Outside, blocking the sun in impossibly large numbers, were the chitauri. Hundreds of thousands of their flying vessels hovered, dotting the sky. Their screams were like saws cutting through the windows of the car.

Jane trembled in pure terror. Where had he gotten this many soldiers? How had he brought them here? The tesseract was in New York! And there hadn't been time for this many to come to earth!

She turned to Loki with her mouth open. A hundred questions died on her lips.

"Leading my army, of course."

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**Mmm...the Maserati. I thought about doing an Aston Martin (because that was one of my favorite cars in Need for Speed) but I thought the Italian model suited him more. I even designed one on the Maserati website for a good mental image.**

**So what do you think? Could Loki be even more of a jerk? I think it's always possible and might get into even more of that next time. I'm actually from Texas and love it with all my heart, so I'm holding back on the whole destruction thing. Maybe Loki will find other uses for the great state. Until next time, lovies.**

**Review, please. It makes me feel good to get lots of notifications and makes me want to update faster. It's been scientifically proven that the more reviews Epic Insanity gets, the more work she does. If not, I will sit and play Halo online and eat ginger snaps for hours instead of writing.**


	3. All Warm Feelings Vanished

**Alright, at the insistence of one reviewer, I have updated much more quickly than I had planned on. Thanks to everyone for encouraging me to continue and the thoughtful review that made me switch this fic from the Avengers category to Thor.**

**Yay for some Avengers appearances!**

**I hope you enjoy.**

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**All Warm Feelings Vanished**

The chitauri were in Texas. Not New York. Texas. And there were hundreds of thousands of them. Maybe millions. Jane could not wrap her mind around the impossibility. It didn't make sense.

"How did you do this?" Jane asked, finally gathering together enough of her brain to form a sentence.

"There are few pieces of magic beyond my grasp. But even those will one day be under my command," Loki answered cryptically.

"But you can't! You aren't able to do...without the tesseract, you don't have the power."

"Who says I don't have the tesseract?"

"It's in New York. I saw it."

"I am the God of Mischief and Lies. You yourself said that already. Surely you do not think me incapable of deceiving a few mortals?" Loki's white teeth exposed in a wide, confident smile. He was like a child revealing to his friends how he had fooled his parents into giving him more allowance money.

"Then that means..." she trialed off. Her thoughts came to a stop like a cart with a broken wheel.

"Oh yes, your precious Thor and the rest of those mortals are fighting a battle that I've already won. I wish I could see the surprise on their faces when my _real _battalion strikes." Loki pulled back the grey sleeve on his right arm and looked at a watch. "Which should be very soon."

...

Thor was pouring with sweat. Even he with his Aesir form could not fathom more fighting. Mjolnir grew heavy in his hand as doubt settled. But he continued to drain the sky of its lightning. He had to protect these mortals from the horrors that his brother had brought to their world. As overseer to this realm, it was his duty.

And he had to protect Jane.

Thor pictured their brief goodbye hours ago as he handed her off to the S.H.E.I.L.D. agents. He had read the fear in her eyes, but was very proud of the confident face she maintained. Jane was such a fragile creature-though not in spirit-who inspired in him a drive to protect.

Thor used that inspiration to push himself beyond a point he thought possible. Yelling, with blood on fire and heartbeat pounding in his head, the mighty god threw his hammer at the nearest chitauri mount. It collided with one of its brothers and they fell from the sky. Their screams pierced the ears of their destroyer.

...

Jane's hands shook as she drove. She didn't know what to think and therefore, what to do now. The sun burned as a half sphere above the tree line, sinking slowly into the coming darkness. Jane wished it would stay.

The chitauri moved as a single, massive unit around the Maserati. Foot soldiers carrying strange guns and dark blades darted at the forest's edge with the speed of cheetahs and the endurance of wolves on the hunt.

After coming to the realization he had frightened Jane speechless, Loki had pulled out a handheld radio and begun speaking with a serious tone into it. A shrill voice would reply every now and then, but Jane largely tried to ignore it because the sound reminded her of a nightmare she'd thought long forgotten. They were communicating in an alien language anyway, so there was no information to be gathered. The only voice she paid any mind to was that of the GPS.

So Jane focused on keeping the vehicle on the road despite the shaking. Eventually, it got too dark to even see the monsters flying above the car and she was able to pretend that it was a normal night drive. In the middle of a new state. Surrounded by impossibly tall trees. And in the company of a psychotic alien.

"Why aren't there any cars on the road?" she finally asked, taking Loki's minute long silence to mean that his foreign conversation was over.

With the press of a button, Loki reclined his seat and put his hands behind his head. "I have sent soldiers ahead to secure the road."

Jane dared a glance at him, seeing that his eyes were closed. He looked so normal. Like an exhausted business man on the final leg of his journey.

"Are they killing the people?" Why did she ask? Why? She didn't want to know...

"Yes. Though the lieutenant commander comments that there are very few on this...back road, do you call it?" He looked so at peace when discussing the deaths of innocents.

"Can you make them stop?"

"Yes."

"Will you?"

"No."

Loki's eyes were open now and staring through the ceiling, probably in some far-off mental place. Jane wondered if he was incapable of feeling guilt by this point. Could one become so accustomed to killing that the associated pain eventually disappeared from the mind? Or did one simply learn to function through the debilitating guilt that must be constantly running through their veins?

...

"Where is Jane?"

The command center was plunged into icy quiet at Thor's question. No one would meet his blue eyed gaze. Even Fury avoided it with his one eye.

After the Avengers had eliminated most of the chitauri and contained the others, the tesseract had suddenly shut off. The defense around the blue cube lowered and Agent Romanoff was able to get it secured. No one could offer an explanation as to what had happened. They were now recovering in Stark Tower and debating possible locations for Loki.

"Where is she?" he asked again. He sensed something terribly wrong.

"Ms. Foster is missing. Her guard was discovered dead outside of her holding room approximately four hours ago," Director Fury finally answered, his back to the Asgardian and vision scouring the sky.

Thor's vision went red for a moment as rage cloaked him. "You assured me that she would be protected!" Mjolnir, which he had set on a table, came zooming into his hand. Agent Romanoff quickly stepped in front of Fury's exposed back, gun already drawn. Thor paused.

"She _was_ protected. We put her in the bottom of our New York facility, but it seems your brother has ways of getting through impenetrable walls."

Fury typed something on a computer and on dozens on screens lining the walls, a video played. Thor saw Loki walking down a hallway bearing the same expression he had seen when fighting his brother on the Bifrost: the anger and haunting that could only lead to losing one's self to insanity, somehow wrapped into a grim smile.

Loki came to a small group of men and before any could raise their weapon, sent ice shards through their helmets. Blood splattered onto the floor and each of the agents collapsed.

Loki walked over them as simply as if they were not there. Thor wondered when his brother, who had wept over the loss of his favorite stallion, had come to care so little for life.

The men had been guarding a door which Loki now opened by a slow wave of his hand. Thor drew in a breath as he heard Jane's voice. "Hello? Is something wrong?"

She screamed and Thor's heart stuttered.

He couldn't see what was happening on the screen, as there were no cameras in Jane's room, but he could hear the struggle occurring. A laugh barely recognizable as Loki's made his blood freeze.

Loki withdrew from the room with Jane in tow. She was pulling and scratching and screaming, but Loki merely shrugged off each blow with a harsher tug.

And then Jane kicked him.

Thor was almost proud of her until all warm feelings vanished as Loki spun around and violently slapped her so hard that her neck snapped back. Thor gripped the leather on Mjolnir's handle with such tension that it squeaked. A cry of pain tore his heart and Jane went silent, allowing herself to be towed along and out of sight.

Thor didn't know which was worse: the knowledge that Jane had been taken or the feeling of wanting to brutally murder his own brother.

He didn't have time to decide because in his earpiece, Tony Stark said, "Uh, guys...you might want to see this."

"I do _not_ want to see you do the chicken dance in your suit again," Fury replied. "Now get back on patrol!"

"First of all, it was not the chicken dance-I don't even know how you go the two mixed up...you know, never mind. We have bigger problems than your ability to appreciate a good chasse."

"Send us the feed, Stark." Fury looked ready to burst.

The screens lit up again, this time sporting a new image.

Thor dropped his hammer.

The chitauri were back in the skies of New York City. But this time there were many, many more.

"What in the world..." Fury gasped.

...

"Welcome to San Antonio," Jane read off of a sign bitterly.

"Ah," Loki said, "It's about time. I do not like the slowness of travel in this place."

Jane would have agreed, but feelings of exhaustion, hunger, and loathing kept her from agreeing with anything he said. Loki raised his seat. After his short replies, he had gone silent but Jane did not think he was asleep for a second.

Loki was looking out the tinted window. They had finally entered the freeway and cars were stopped on either side. For the most part, everything was eerily quiet. In the distance, the city seemed alive and vibrant with life and blinking signs. But up close was another story.

Jane saw a terrified-but alive-family huddled in a minivan and a young couple in a BMW peering hesitantly out the window. An elderly man sporting corduroy overalls in a pickup had a shotgun laying across his chest, eyes narrow and at the ready.

"Tell me, Miss Foster, have you ever been to the Alamo mission?"

"No." Jane's voice shook as emotion clouded her throat.

"That's too bad." The joy on his face told her otherwise. "Because I think I'm about to destroy it."

And then all hell came crashing around them.

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**I think I'm going to have to destroy Texas. There is still a small part of me that doesn't want to, but things are pointing in the opposite direction. Sad day...It's difficult to keep Loki from getting too evil. I think that he is still more of a mischievous character, but by this time, maliciousness has eaten away at him.**

**I believe there is redemption for everyone, but it will definitely not be found easily in Loki's case.**

**Ta now!**


	4. Silly Girl, Smart Girl

**'kay, based on one review, I have tried putting more detail into this installment. I think it is an improvement. Plus, I actually _wanted_ to write this one. I'm sure having the desire to write and not feeling like a production line churning out words helps the feel a bit more.**

**Thank you guys for staying with me! Any input or critique is carefully considered so don't feel afraid to pm me if you have any thoughts. This chapter is dedicated to 1percent who is so ready for this.**

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**Silly Girl, Smart Girl**

Jane was asleep. She was curled inward on a king size bed, trembling beneath a quilt. The pillow had long been discarded. Her arms were wrapped around herself, fending off whatever was tormenting her dreams. One foot had escaped the covers, its flesh made milky white in the glow of the moon from a nearby window.

A shadow watched her from the corner parallel to the window, green eyes aflame with curiosity and speeding thoughts. He was quiet, barely breathing.

Every now and then, the white light of the moon would be drenched in dark orange or red as enemy rockets lit the sky. Her foot would appear bleeding one second and maidenly white the next. Jane never stirred in response to the loud sounds, though. No, her terrors were internal.

The enemy military had struck first. Loki had wanted an attempt at a peace talk with the governor of the land, but apparently his siege on New York was enough to render that unnecessary. The stress had been too much for Jane's mortal nerves and she had passed out in the car, forehead colliding painfully with the steering wheel. Loki himself had nearly been obliterated when an elderly man wielding a shotgun had taken initiative after the first of the bullets struck. Loki had been preoccupied making sure with Jane was alive when a sound outside alerted him to the gunpoint directed at his head. One of his own foot soldiers took care of the man with a sweep of a scaly arm.

The shadowy figure in the corner clenched his fists, suddenly becoming tense. A single breath flared through his nostrils as he listened to the world burn outside.

They hadn't given up yet.

It was almost inspiring, really, how these mortals, these _Texans_, were still fighting back. Loki knew that a land of this size would not be an easy win, but still...The men were fighting a losing battle and from the look in their eyes before death, they knew it. And yet still, they charged the man in gleaming armor walking the battlefield with cries that would be honored in the memory of an Asgardian warrior. Their feet were sure, aim true, and heart unwavering. But when faced with Loki's magic, their flimsy bullets were easily redirected.

It had been twenty-four hours since the initial attack. In his realm, Loki knew that such conquests sometimes took decades of plotting and then centuries of execution. But these Midgardians did everything on such a smaller scale that he anticipated a few weeks at most for the surrender.

From the shadows, Loki's eyes flickered at a small gasp from Jane. A simple sweep of her face revealed that she was still asleep, but obviously having a nightmare. He sighed. Silly girl. His eyes settled on the area of her cheekbones, watching without really watching as he receded into contemplation.

He knew she had offered herself only to provide a distraction in advantage of Thor and the rest of his new mortal playmates. Maybe she even truly believed she could change his mind at some point. But she hadn't been planning on all the tricks up his sleeve. Loki wondered what to do with her now. Of course, she was a valuable hostage and he could easily whisk her away to some underground cell somewhere. But that would be far less interesting...

Jane turned over in her sleep and put her back to his view. Her long sleeved plaid shirt was wrinkled and smelled of pine needles from their walk in the forest. Dark hair splayed out on the bed sheets and across her hunched shoulders. Her boots were discarded by the edge of the bed. Loki didn't remember how they had gotten off.

With a sigh, Loki knelt down and leaned against the light brown wall. He was not quite bored yet-with the fighting still fresh and echoing outside-but then again, delivering blows and swift kicks had never been much entertainment for him. In fact, his little bout of logical argument with Jane had been the most invested he'd felt in a while. After all, the chitauri were not famous for ideological debates.

...

_Jane could hear them close behind though her boots were pounding as fast as possible down the deserted alleyway. Tall brick buildings fenced her in. Her steps splashed in water from a broken sewage line._

_Brutish laughter reached her ears. They had found her, no need to be stealthy._

_She turned a corner and was not graceful enough in her haste to avoid the aluminum trash can. It collided painfully with her hip and she winced at the pain. The can tipped over, loud metallic sound bouncing off the walls._

_"Keep going, Jane. Just keep going," she told herself. Another burst of adrenaline shot her forward and she took as many turns as she could to confuse her pursuers. Right by the stairs leading to a faded red door, left after the dumpster, another left before the smoky cafe, right into a dead end blocked off by a stone wall much taller than she._

_Her heart plummeted and she spun around._

_But they had her cornered. Their silhouettes highlighted by the blinking streetlamp at the corner. Jane whimpered, but remained standing. She would not die on her knees._

_The tallest of the group stepped forward, looking no more than a monstrous black shape. With each step in her direction, Jane could make out more of his features: the slick serpentine flesh, the alien eyes, the yellow, jagged claws flicking in agitation, the otherworldly stench that brought wetness to her eyes, the multiple rows of teeth that she could see through her tears._

_"Please, don't," she begged, already sobbing and desperate for air. With this creature near, there was no air. There was no escape._

_A slimy tongue trailed slowly down her cheek, hot, putrid breath assaulted her senses, rough hands pulled her hair back until she was forced to look directly into those vile eyes-_

Jane jerked awake with a scream. Her eyes were still closed and the backs of her eyelids seemed to be imprinted with the image of that beast about to tears her to shreds. She could even taste the smell lingering in the air. Her body twisted in a desperate attempt to get away from its scaly hold.

One thump and a sore leg later and Jane realized she had fallen out of bed. A bed that, with its grand size and blue coverings, she didn't recognize. Jane reached her fingers behind her and found a bedside table. She walked them up the wood and leaned against it when her knees offered support.

It appeared to be a hotel room-no, one of those expensive suites that a president or CEO would enjoy when traveling. The walls of the spacious room were a light brown, warm color. A tasteful black and white photograph of the seaside hung over a wide set of drawers. A plasma screen television was suspended on the wall opposite the bed and instantly, Jane thought of turning on the news. Unfortunately the remote was not in sight, so she walked towards a door that she assumed to be the bathroom.

She was correct in her assumptions and was greeted by the largest bathroom she'd ever seen. The color scheme was a soft blue and tan arrangement, reflecting that of the bedroom setup. A luxurious Jacuzzi tempted her filthy skin-which she knew to be so thanks to a magnificent mirror situated above two sinks with black stone tops.

Jane knew that she could be frazzled after working nonstop for days at a time, but the level of disgusting and homely she looked now was a new record. Hair in complete disarray fell into a pale face bordering on the expression of insanity. Her red plaid shirt was coming off one shoulder to expose the black tank top she had on underneath. Not to mention, her hands were scraped thanks to Loki's _gentlemanly _behavior from earlier.

Seeing there was nothing else to be done, Jane locked the door (there was even a deadbolt) and soaked her body in hot water. It thoroughly woke her up. After feeling pink and refreshed, though still uneasy, she put on her clothes ('Pine needles are not so nice smelling after a day or two.') and went back into the bedroom.

Loki was sitting before a mahogany desk she'd missed before and looked all the proper man he posed as. His grey suit was gone and replaced with a simple white button down shirt and green tie, grey slacks and matching shoes.

"You look refreshed," he commented with an expressionless face. When she didn't reply, he added, "And smell like it too."

Jane walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, pulling her bare feet up beneath her. "Where are we?"

"This fine establishment is the Presidential Suite in the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Quite lovely, is it not? I am glad that I left it standing."

Jane saw the return of the mischievous glint in his eye and almost smiled. But then she remembered that other hotels were probably in pieces on the ground right now and suddenly the joke wasn't funny.

"How long was I asleep?"

"A bit over thirty hours. It is noon now."

She was almost afraid to ask the next question. "What happened?"

"I'm assuming you mean out there." Loki pointed toward the window, hiding afternoon sunlight behind thick blue curtains. "Go and see for yourself."

Jane got up and slowly padded over to the window. Her ears were perked to catch the sound of chaos, but heard none through the sturdy walls. What if she looked outside and saw nothing but a leveled city, all crumbled and smoking?

She used her left hand to pull back the curtains and sucked in a breath.

Was San Antonio always this lovely? The riverwalk was all bright colors and healthy trees and the river was not clouded with anything grim-like blood. Even the sky seemed happy with puffy clouds. Everything looked normal at first glance.

But there were no people milling about, no dogs being escorted on walks, and all the dining tables under yellow umbrellas were empty. From behind the corner of another tall building, she could see black smoke.

"Where is all the fighting happening?" Her body was stiffly facing away from him as she desperately combed the streets for people. Still, there was no one.

"Far off, where it does not concern you."

"It will always concern me."

"These are not your people-"

"They are human. They are just as much my people as anyone else on the planet!"

She heard a small chuckle and whipped around to see him laughing softly, looking down at steepled fingers. He looked so...normal. Even his hair seemed tamer than the wild, black tresses he had sported before.

"Is this funny to you? This arguing that we do?" she asked, frustration mounting.

Loki pointed his chin over his left shoulder and gave her a look that spoke of nothing but boyish joy. "Why, is it not to you?"

"I am not here for your entertainment!"

His eyes got big with humor. "Oh, my mistake. Please accept my apologies and explain why you _are _here so that I may remedy the situation."

Jane ignored the question. "Why do you want Texas anyway?"

"Besides the theatric glory of breaking their spirits? The enormous size and importance it represents to your country? The massive economic sway it holds with its ports and military bases and agricultural versatility?" He ticked each off on his spindly fingers. "For fun."

"For fun!" she scoffed. His eyebrows narrowed. He looked as if he'd never been scoffed at before. "And just how much economic prowess will it have after you've destroyed it?"

Loki stood up then and reminded Jane of just how much taller he was. Though he looked thinner in only the white shirt, he was lean with muscle. Not to mention the magic crackling at the edges of his being. He was a force to be reckoned with.

He came to within inches of her side, but Jane did not move. She was extremely tired of shying away. He leaned his head down to her level and then turned it to look out the window while his finger pointed to the smoke.

"You see the area in the distance where all the destruction is happening?"

Jane nodded silently.

"That is the least populated and most inefficient part of the city. My army was willingly compressed to that area by the opposing force. Your government had no qualms seeing the land there upturned, so I do not either."

"Just because you aren't taking down hotels and highways doesn't make it any better."

"Oh? Well then I shall just give the lieutenant a call, shall I? We can always push them back into the city..."

He stepped away and put a finger to a piece of equipment near his ear that she hadn't seen before. Apparently he'd done away with the radio for a more high tech look. Loki began to speak in the odd language he had employed before and Jane knew he wasn't bluffing.

"No, don't!" She reached for the hand holding down the button on the earpiece and took it in her own.

Loki gave her a questioning look, but didn't remove his hand.

"Don't tell them to come into the city. I..." she didn't know what to say. Both of her hands tightened around his. "Leave them where they are. More people will live."

"Since when do I care about human life?" His voice was cold, but there was an earnest question in it that Jane felt made the answer important.

"Who will you have to rule if you kill us all?"

Loki smiled. It was the smile one gave when taking the first step toward total victory. Jane hated to think what it would mean for her. Loki touched his forehead to her temple, his skin pleasantly cool against hers. His other hand settled near the base of her spine. He whispered into her ear, "You are beginning to understand. Smart girl."

Jane's entire being revolted at the contact. She hated how he played the invade-my-bubble game to unnerve her. Besides, it wasn't supposed to be like this. She wasn't supposed to be anticipating his thoughts and seeing connections to how he moved about the playing field.

But then again, that was strength, wasn't it? 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,' she thought.

Loki backed up and removed his hand, stretching the fingers with a self-satisfied grin. He repealed whatever he had told the individual on the other end of the connection (she assumed) and began to walk out of the room.

"I presume you're hungry." He waited for no reply. "I shall send for a meal and fresh clothes. You still reek of pine."

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**See you later, my lovies. I hope you enjoyed.**


	5. A Little Star Study

**I had planned for this chapter to be longer and more intense, but I have been quite sick this past week and all thoughts of being intense evaporated. Thankfully I've recovered enough to post something.**

**I've taken a bit of liberty with the chitauri by giving them sharp teethies and clawies. And there's also mention of an actual article in here that I think Jane would read. If you are interested, I have a link to it I can give you. I can't make heads or tails of it, but if you're into that kind of thing...by all means ask away. I leave the science stuff to the big thinkers.**

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**A Little Star Study**

Jane wasn't sure what to do once Loki closed the door and left her alone in the large bedroom. Part of her wanted to take another bath after having him breathe on her face, another part wanted to curl back under the covers and slip into a different reality, but the dominant portion of Jane's mind told her to follow Loki. He hadn't said she couldn't leave the room, after all.

He wasn't the only who could be sneaky.

Ten seconds after the door shut, she opened it again. Jane had opted to leave her boots at the corner of the large bed (as they would make lots of noise) and therefore her first steps were silent. But it really did no good because she was in the connecting room of the Presidential suite and Loki had already left that as well. She did not have time to take in the glamour of the room, though she did notice there was a mini-bar, and a few plush couches circling a large television.

Jane headed straight for the suite door and poked her head out. A deep red carpet led the way to a gold elevator at the end of the hallway. Loki was waiting for the elevator to arrive. Jane wondered why he even bothered when he could just…_poof_ himself wherever he desired.

'Yes, _poof himself_. Jane, you are the most brilliant scientist this world has to offer,' she chastised herself.

He was facing away from her and Jane saw the stern line that was his back settle briefly. His hands were in his pockets and his left foot tapped slowly along with an inaudible beat. Jane thought his inky black hair could do with a trim as it didn't suit the softer lines of his thin, but tall frame.

The elevator arrived with a "Ding!" and opened. All thoughts of following Loki vanished when she saw what was waiting inside.

A chitauri.

It appeared too tall for the elevator-and a bit disgruntled at being forced to remain inside. Jane's stomach lurched as she remembered the slimy skin from her dream, the inhuman gaze, and that awful smell. The beast seemed to look over Loki's shoulder and stare right at her small form in the three inch gap in the doorway. The misshapen fingers twitched.

Before Loki could even step inside the elevator and turn around to see her peaking, Jane closed the door and leaned against the back of it. The sturdy wood made her feel stronger while the unsettling fear pounced.

After a few moments, she was able to gather her senses enough to stand up and make it to one of the couches. The burgundy leather (that looked as if no one had ever sat on it before) was surprisingly warm and comforting and urged her to pull up a blanket and do some comforting work.

Yes, a little star study would do her good right now.

She imagined herself back in the lab, pouring over a computer screen and reading out of an article from "Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy". S.H.E.I.L.D. had taken her from New Mexico before Jane could finish reading about how gravity assisted flybys in the planar, circular, restricted three-body problem. A few hand-drawn splatters in her notebook while star-gazing sounded lovely. And Erik would come up on the rooftop and remind her that it was getting late-as if the emergence of stars wasn't a clear enough clue. Then maybe Thor would come floating down from some far point in the sky, looking all the Norse God he could be in his glowing armor and charming smile…

Jane pulled her head back to groan at the ceiling. It would do no good getting homesick now. She should be spending her time finding a way to outwit Loki. And she always thought better when she could express her thoughts on paper.

There was a pad of paper along with a pen on a coffee table near a majestic wall made entirely of wall-to-ceiling windows. The Grand Hyatt Hotel logo was printed on each item. Jane retrieved them and stopped to look out at the skyline that was probably including in the price of the room. From this angle, there was no mountain of smoke, only blue skies and a proud city that only her inner voice could describe as "on its knees".

She pressed her forehead on the glass and whispered to the city, "I will find a way to help you." Her eyes closed and head shook side to side. "I don't know how to beat him-and I may not be able to-but I will do the best I can to keep you from burning."

On the way back to the couch, Jane cast a glance at the mini-bar. A drink would be nice. But it would also muddle her thoughts. Best to stay away for a bit. Maybe after Loki came back and gave her a thorough shaking up, she would indulge…

A knock came at the door.

A sick feeling entered her blood and quickly spread everywhere with the help of her suddenly rapid heartbeat. What if that was a chitauri? Did they even know how to knock? Was it a custom on their planet? Should she hide or face it? What if she didn't answer the door?

The knock came again and Jane, who could find no answer to any of the questions, simply stood while the door opened an inch at a time.

She could have cried in relief as an aged Hispanic woman entered the suite pushing a cart bearing a silver tray and white cloth draped over the edges.

"Room service," she greeted in an accented voice that matched the uncertainty screaming in Jane's mind. The maid's eyes darted to each corner of the room while her hands locked firmly on the cart. Upon seeing Jane and not finding anyone else in the room, the Hispanic woman seemed to calm a bit and removed her hands, but fiddled with the ends of her white apron instead.

She pushed the cart two feet further into the room and stopped. "Lord Loki has requested breakfast for you. And some clothes." The woman bent to retrieve a carefully folded bundle of cloth from a lower rack. Her dark brown eyes never left Jane.

'She must think I am working with him,' Jane concluded.

"Thank you," Jane tried to say as pleasantly as possible. She crossed the room with slow steps as if approaching a skittish creature. The woman moved to place the car between them and Jane saw that she was a foot taller than the maid. The astrophysicist lowered her gaze to the food. Pancakes, eggs, sausage, and an assortment of fruit with yogurt in a silver bowl. "My name is Jane Foster. What is yours?"

The woman seemed to consider the consequences of not answering before responding, "Blanca."

"Blanca," Jane repeated. She held out her hand for the clothes but Blanca hastily placed them on the arm of a couch. She then backed up to the door, once again keeping her stare fixed on the other occupant of the room.

"Has Loki hurt you, Blanca?" Jane asked.

"Lord Loki has been very kind to not interrupt our work here," the older woman replied.

"I am not _with_ him, you know." Blanca blinked a few times before Jane continued. "I am a…hostage," she said, not really knowing how to refer to her situation. She had volunteered for this after all, so was she really a hostage?

Blanca removed her gaze from Jane for the first time and cast it about the room, the clothes, and the food on silver plates. "Then I wish to be a hostage as well," she replied.

Jane smiled. "Are there other staff still here?"

Blanca nodded. "All have remained. Except…the bellhop in the elevator. He was…_los_ _monstruos_…" She ended with a shudder.

"The chitauri," Jane said.

Blanca's wrinkled face became even more so as she frowned. "The things of nightmares," she whispered. "I must return to the kitchen."

"Be safe."

"_Usted también_, senorita Foster" Blanca bid before closing the door behind her.

The rest of the day was spent on the couch jotting down whatever thoughts came to her mind and solving the puzzles they presented. The breakfast Blanca had brought was eaten gradually: the pancakes disappearing first, followed by the iron and protein, and then the fruit. But Jane found herself quite absorbed in her contemplation and did not waste much brain power on thoughts of food. Occasionally, she could have done with a cup of coffee but the caffeine was not enough of a requirement to investigate the mini-bar for a coffee machine.

The sun set in a slow splendor, casting the room in morphing shadows and a fantastic blazing light. Jane did not notice aside from the orange hue her ink-covered papers acquired. In fact, when she finally looked up and saw the sun already half eaten by the horizon, it shocked her out of the Loki-centered revere.

San Antonio was even more beautiful in the reddish orange glow. The river reflected the color and rippled gently against the low stone walls. If she were outside, all she would need to do is bend on the walkway and dip her hand into its cool depths. Her vision cast up again to admire the skyline. It was broken with diverse architecture ranging from old Spanish stone embellishments to modern landmarks of glass and steel. The aged stonework seemed even older with the harsh glare of the sun on the slowly crumbling walls.

Jane turned away from the window with a yawn. She had not done much physically today, but her mind was exhausted. She didn't even have the will to sum up her thoughts or make sense of the various sketches she'd done.

Tomorrow would be a better day to do those things.

While the sky was not even dark yet, Jane stuck her pad of paper beneath the large mattress and then settled into a ball on top.

Tomorrow would be a better day…

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**I promise the next chapter will have more action now that I'm not hacking up lungs and looking at the world through burning eyes. And there will be more Loki. All you could ask for, right?**

**Until next time, lovies.**


	6. Words Were More Breath Than Sound

**It's dark outside and I think it might rain. I've secluded myself in my room with the lights off in the hopes that I'll be inspired by to write inside Loki's head correctly. Also, I'm employing the "magic if" in this venture, so we'll see what comes of it. If you don't know what the magic if is, ask me and I'll happily explain.**

**I have also banned myself from opening facebook. I spend far too much time absorbing the lives of others via the internet.**

**Mozart's Requiem Mass in D minor along with the Gears of War soundtrack helped me get this out. You may notice that I took a more violent turn this round, but I don't believe I made it too explicit to warrant any kind of…revulsion? I just think that we need to get deeper into Loki's dark side before the light side starts to make any sense.**

**This chapter is dedicated to HowlynMad for giving me the mental image of Loki in a cowboy hat.**

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**Words Were More Breath Than Sound**

Rubble crunched under Loki's boots, the sound lost in the chaotic symphony of flames crackling, buildings uprooting, and men dying. It was rough in his ears and tingled at disturbed nerves. Screams were callous, harsh things. He could feel the inharmonic tones vibrating and being swallowed by the mess that was the battlefield. Loki's eyes narrowed as he heard a voice rise above the others and cry out for his deity.

"Oh, God! Please! _Please_!" the unseen man begged. Loki could hear the blood in his mouth, causing the words to sputter. "I don't want to die. God! God have mercy-"

The plea was cut off with a grunt and followed by a chitauri roar of victory. He was no supporter of the chitauri manner of war: brunt and bloody. Their enemies were not often granted quick deaths. If it were up to him the fighting would be smooth, clean and with as little casualties as possible. But even now he could feel eyes on him. The layers of the universe peeled back to grant a hideous being audience to the spectacle. Loki could feel the malice singeing in the thick air around him. The watchful being wanted to use the brutes, so it would be done.

The god walked with purpose and surveyed the area. There was nothing of beauty left here. It had been stripped from the burning trees and stolen off of the pleasant smell of the wind running by flowers. The only calming sight was that of the moon and stars, far away from a ground coated in blood and a god wondering when his plan for a world made free had begun to include mass destruction that struck at a personal level.

He clenched his jaw up at the moon. It had to be done.

"Get 'im!" a thickly accented voice yelled from behind an upturned car. Loki felt something whiz by his face, inches away from his nose. A bullet.

In milliseconds, the air was thick with bullets coming from all directions. Loki blinked at their attempts to secure his death. A simple spell of luck cast the flying metal bits away from him. One bullet glanced almost gracefully off of his left hand, but a thin cut was the most damage he sustained.

"Alright, stop!" the commanding voice shouted. The unknown number of men ceased their fire.

A head slowly peaked out over the top of the car. Loki wondered at the strange hat atop his head. The wide brim and misshapen crown puzzled him. It did not appear to be made of the same hard material that mortal soldiers normally wore.

"Like my hat?" the man said, measuring his words.

The man put two fingers to the brim of his hat when Loki didn't respond. "It's a Stetson." Even in the darkness, Loki could tell by flames nearby that his face was hard and tan as if he'd spent most of his life working in the sun. His upper body was clothed in a roughened white shirt and a black vest apparently full of ammunition.

"You are not a soldier," Loki said simply. The lack of uniform made it clear. "None of you are."

"Actually," the man said while standing up more surely behind the car and raising a pistol to eye level, "I was a soldier ten years ago. Served two tours in Afghanistan. And two of my buddies here-" he quickly looked to his left and right as men rose from their hiding positions, "They've done their service to their country too."

Loki heard the clicking of weapons being reloaded, but still remained where he was. He had not moved since they started firing.

"The name's Brennon," the man said, still looking beneath the wide brim of the odd hat.

"I care not for your mortal christenings," Loki replied, rolling his eyes. "It does not alter the fact that you are audacious enough to stand up to a god and point your uninspired weapons at him."

Brennon came to the front of the vehicle and now stood five steps away from Loki. In his right hand he held the gun; the other remained tucked away from view. Loki was enough of a trickster to know that often the unseen hand was the most important tool for fooling.

"Well, you were _audacious_," Brennon chewed on the word, "enough to attack our home so I figure that gives me and my buddies the right to point whatever the hell we want at you." A few men voiced their approval, but stayed back.

Loki took a step forward and Brennon pulled one foot back, but still kept his center of gravity forward. Loki's staff was within a foot of the man's torso.

"I have little care for your display of bravado. Take your friends and go home," Loki hissed.

"This is our home!" someone from behind yelled.

"As well as your grave if you do not leave! I will not be merciful for very long," Loki took another step forward, "Brennon."

Brennon seemed to gather his nerves for a few seconds and then said, "I don't need your mercy."

Using the hand holding the gun, Brennon threw a punch at Loki's head. Loki caught it easily. Thinking he had distracted his enemy, Brennon whipped out his left hand and drew the blade it held to slam into Loki's lower belly.

Loki had not forgotten his earlier note and stopped the silver blade with his staff long before it was anywhere close to do damage. With one of Brennon's forearms in his grip and the other secured against the vehicle, Loki summoned an icy chill from the center of his being and directed it out his fingers. The man howled in surprise and agony as his flesh turned black with frostbite and pieces flaked off in Loki's intense grip.

Loki himself shook with madness, pouring more energy into the assault than he needed. The blackness on Brennon's flesh began to spread up his arm and eventually to his chest. Loki saw his own hand turn blue and considered it with a slight amount of fascination. He did not often see his frost giant self manifest.

Suddenly, a pain pierced his side in the same location Brennon had been aiming and Loki yanked his head to find what had struck. The hilt of a shorter dagger protruded from somewhere around his internal oblique and when he shifted his footwork, Loki could feel the metal scraping his insides.

He had missed the _other_ hidden hand.

Without even truly seeing the man who had snuck up behind him, Loki released Brennon and grabbed his attacker by the neck. Consequently, bullets began to fly again. They rebounded off of the god and struck the other man instead, killing him.

Another jumped from the right. He was wearing a brown camouflage shirt and seemed intent on putting a bullet through the invader's brain. He unleashed each bullet with purpose, gripping the handle with white knuckles and breathing through flared nostrils. He got closer with each miniature explosion.

BAM!

BAM!

BAM!

BAM!

Each bullet disintegrated in midair and flew away in particles of shiny dust.

"Why won't you die?" the camouflage-wearing man exclaimed.

Loki struck him on the side of the head with his staff, hearing the satisfying crack of a neck breaking.

Two more men stepped forward before the former had even hit the ground dead. Loki dodged their blows as they each resorted to using brawn in lieu of useless guns. The god's vision went red as he moved to avoid a blow to the chest and instead got one where the dagger was still digging into flesh.

One of the men chuckled at his apparent pain so Loki moved fluidly with his scepter and drove it straight through the man's heart. The laughter died with him.

The final man dropped to his knees as soon as his "buddy" perished and began to speak so quickly that his words were almost unintelligible. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Let me live, please let me live, don't kill me, I'll go now just like you said, I'll leave and never-"

The frost giant in Loki surged forward crushed the man's skull.

For a few moments more, Loki remained in that state of mind where no thoughts are formed and pure instinct drives movement. He stood and swept over the scene with red-drenched eyes. What blue skin he had exposed tingled like a child's when first introduced to the cold. The scepter dripped blood onto his hand and the red liquid froze there.

A low, wheezing sound made him turn around to see Brennon sitting with his back to the car he'd once hid behind. The man was still alive though half covered in black splotches. Loki knelt before him and brought one finger to rest above the man's frantically beating heart.

"Why are you…why are you…doing this?" the dying man's words were more breath than sound.

Loki didn't reply. Instead, he summoned the same energy he had before and finished the job. Brennon's heart became a shriveled, black organ. The frost giant in Loki enjoyed the victory that death brought. The anger in Loki found satisfaction in taking control over life. The many parts of Loki that Thanos had infiltrated reveled in the action.

He controlled life and death amongst this mortal race, he was ruler of their demise, he was lord of their lives and fortunes. He was _king_!

Loki took Brennon's strange hat and placed it upon his own head. The wide brim obstructed his upward vision a bit, so he threw it to the side.

Suddenly, Loki's eyes flashed to green and he saw the wreckage around him. Brennon's chest covered in black, one man filled with holes, one with a neck broken, another pierced through the heart, and another so defaced he couldn't even bear to look.

Blood and pain.

This was not part of his plan.

Loki closed his eyes, shivered, and tried to find his inner calm. All he found was the burn of anger waiting for more fuel. His teeth gritted with the effort of forcing his heart rate to slow.

He knew of only one way to find peace.

...

Jane started awake with a soft cry. The room was black-curtains closed-and a frost nipped at her exposed toes. When had it gotten so cold?

And what had woke her? She didn't recall a dream, at least not one like before…

Then she saw the awful, glorious glow of red eyes in the corner. Jane clutched the blankets up to her chin and got out of bed. They fell off like an elegant robe she was about to put on instead of a flimsy shield to hide her from the burning orbs.

"Who are you?" she demanded, sounding stronger than she felt. She lowered the blankets a little and noticed Loki's scepter perched on the desk. "Lo…Loki?"

The red eyes narrowed and the black figure sprang to her side. She yelped but kept the blanket between them. Its presence seemed to steel her nerves.

With him this close, even Jane could pick out his pale features in the lack of light. His sharp chin, the tightly sealed corners of his lips jerked into a frown, and his eyebrows dangerously low. The hair that she had thought looked too long earlier appeared windswept and agitated. His entire being was tense, spine so straight he might have been trembling from the effort. But Loki didn't tremble…

"Is something wrong?" Jane asked.

He leaned in closer, but that was the only movement. His feet remained in their spot and his face didn't flinch. It didn't even look like he was breathing. Only his upper body shifted at the hips to be nearer to her face.

Jane slowly let her hand leave the comfort of the blanket's edge and cross the tiny space between them. The red eyes stayed glued on hers. Electricity tickled her fingertips. It felt wrong, invasive to touch him in such a state.

'I consider interrupting my sleep by staring at me pretty invasive too,' she thought.

Finally her hand came to rest on his shoulder, finger by finger testing the waters to ensure Loki wouldn't rip her hand off. He was wearing his armor, she realized as she felt the cool material. Everything but his horned helmet.

Glad to have something of more substance between them, Jane asked again, "Is something wrong, Loki?"

Hearing his name a second time shook him and even just touching the armor, Jane could feel a tremor start from the top of his spine and travel to the base. The bright red began to dull.

Why was he here? What had happened? Why were his eyes red? Jane's head spun with questions.

Eventually, the offending color drifted in hue to sport his usual green, though it wasn't the enlightened, cheerful green she was used to. He looked exhausted. But said nothing. Loki's head dropped to his chest and Jane found herself glad to have his focus directed elsewhere.

"Are you…okay now?"

Loki shook his head to the side as if to say "no" but Jane took the gesture as if he were clearing his head of unwanted images. Jane noticed that she could smell his comforting scent again, when seconds ago it had been absent. She was able to more specifically identify the smells: the freshness of air after a hard rain, the richness of unearthed soil, cleanliness and warmth-no, a very distant fire that lacked the cloying character of smoke, and worn leather after a long day's labor…The ingredients had no connection but all fit perfectly inside the mixture that made her want to lay her head on her enemy's chest and go to sleep.

Loki pulled his head up, looking like he had the world's problems concentrated in a knitted forehead. He stared at Jane's hand on his shoulder until she remembered it was there and jerked it away. Her fingers were almost painfully cold when they returned to the blanket.

"What happened? Did you get hurt?" Jane looked up and down his body and saw a spot on his side that looked, if possible, darker than shadow. She reached out to touch it but he hissed and backed away. "Fine, I don't want to spare you my pity anyway."

"I have no need for your _pity_," Loki spat.

"Oh, so the mighty god speaks at last!" Jane mocked. She pulled the blanket over her shoulders and finally acted on her bit of righteous anger. "What are you doing in here? Staring at me, no less."

Loki blinked. "I do not have to answer to you." But he did not sound sure of himself.

"No, of course not. In fact, being king of all the earth entitles you to midnight creeper sessions with any female of your choosing. Shall I just go back to sleep like nothing happened and let you bunker down in your corner then?"

"I ought to shut you in the basement for such accusations."

"Oh, please do. I'm sure you'll feel much more high and mighty after I've been locked away for my _derision_," she snapped. Jane walked past him for the door, chin held high and blanket trailing behind like a queen's cloak. She waited by the suite door and looked out the window, but not at him.

"What are you doing?" Loki asked incredulously.

"I'm waiting for you to take me to the basement."

"Go back to bed."

"No, you said-"

"I said go back to bed!" he yelled, but Jane could hear in his voice that he was holding back. She looked at him again. His expression was one of surprise and bewilderment. What, was he actually surprised that she didn't like getting carped at in the middle of the night?

"Fine!" Jane exclaimed. She snaked past him once more and mumbled, "Your majesty," under her breath. Then, she slammed the bedroom door, locked it, and collapsed on her bed.

In the main room, she heard Loki lie down on the couch.

What on earth was wrong with him?

* * *

**You may not believe me, but Jane does have a very good reason for always smelling Loki-I mean, we all want to but her over-acute olfactory senses have purpose. It actually has something to do with the plot…much, much further down the road. I shall say no more!**

**And now, I shall be off! Fair thee well, lovies.**


	7. WellRounded Soldier

**Sorry it's been a super long while since I updated. I was planning on getting this out before my trip home, but I got distracted. So I'm taking some vacation time to give you guys a little something before fall semester starts and I disappear into a world of practicing and depression as studying begins.**

**Thanks to all of you wonderful people who leave me such positive reviews. It takes me a while to respond to them, but I get to it. You guys should know that you are such a huge motivation for me to finish! Also, thanks to those who wished me better health. It was a slow, but sure recovery and now I'm all better.**

**I have to admit, it's hard to make Thor less wordy than Loki. I enjoy writing Loki so, so much.**

**Okay, let's get to what you are all really here for. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Well-Rounded Soldier**

Thor felt useless.

As a prince of Asgard and wielder of Mjolnir, this simply would not do. It was not often that the god of thunder felt ineffective.

But within the S.H.E.I.L.D. compound, there was little to do to be productive. Fury forbid Thor from taking action against Loki in the land called "Texas". The princely aspect of Thor wondered why he was still taking orders from a mortal over matters that needed to be resolved in Asgardian courts, but the more humble part…the part that Jane had unearthed, knew that lashing out in anger would solve nothing.

And so he waited with patience he did not know he contained.

All the while, a red anger gnawed at his nerves.

Loki had taken Jane. Ripped her from a safe place below the earth and hurt her. He had struck Jane. Thor had never seen Loki do such a thing to a woman. His brother had always been so gentle-especially with their mother-and Thor never imagined he'd see the day when Loki would house such open hostility for anyone of the fairer sex.

In fact, Thor never thought his brother could harbor hatred for anyone. Thor was supposed to the brash one, the one that struck out of pure emotion.

In the few days that followed the reveal of the security footage, the young god saw the scene behind his eyelids. He saw it wherever he went. He saw the arm pull back and the hand collide with Jane's tender, mortal flesh. The sound of her cry made him tremble.

It was like pouring salt in a wound that never healed. Thor bathed his mind in the outrage, the frustration of taking orders, the anxiety he felt for Jane's predicament. He was a soldier numbing himself to the once-beloved sight of his brother. He could not afford to risk Jane's safety in the blind hope of Loki's redemption.

The next time he saw Loki, he would feel no affection.

. . .

A knock came on Thor's door and forced him from the painful reverie. When there was no answer, the door opened and in walked Commander Fury, fully decked in his customary black leather. His face was already more weary than it had been twelve hours ago.

"We have an assignment for you-"

"You dare keep me locked inside this place and think that I will obey any orders you issue?" Thor was aching from inaction. He was burning from his treatment here. He would have no more. "I am a son of Odin, mortal! I am not your lackey! I'll not play the part of a messenger boy on the battlefield while my countrymen die around me."

"You are starting to sound like that brother of yours, Asgardian," Fury said simply, apparently uncaring of the god's mounted frustration.

Thor stopped, noticing that he had risen from his seated position.

Fury took two steps further into the room and the door shut. His one eye expertly observed the layout of the small quarters: regulation bed, closet, desk and chair. All various shades of steel and white. "You had no problem taking orders from me a week ago in Manhattan."

"Because it was a call to protect the people of Midgard from my brother's insanity. It lies within the responsibility of my realm to ensure he is stopped. But I will not have you test my patience within these walls!" The strength of his final word shook said walls. The immaculate cleanliness of the compound surrendered no disturbed dust, but Fury imagined that those in the outside world were quite shaken.

Fury nodded. "So you respond well when asked to fight but not to stand down. Seems like well-rounded soldier."

Thor pointed at the commander with a tense, muscular arm. "I am not one of your soldiers, Nick Fury."

The other man smiled. "I recall hearing that before. But we are getting distracted here, Thor. I understand that you are more upset with me because of Jane's capture-" Thor opened his mouth to speak, but Fury put up a hand, "So now I am giving you the opportunity to rescue her."

Thor's blood settled and he regarded Fury as a wary dog waits at the door to be released. "And I will bring Loki down."

Fury nodded again and said, "We're briefing in ten minutes. Follow me."

. . .

"Everything's bigger in Texas. Even the lizards," Tony Stark said as he blasted through another chitauri using a missile the size of his little finger.

"That is the twenty-ninth 'bigger in Texas' pun you've made since arrival, sir," Jarvis responded. "Perhaps you should put more thought into energy conservation rather than joke-making."

A group of four enemy aviation units rounded the corner of a rusty-red apartment building. Tony angled towards them and saw their target was a loose collection of uniformed army men. "Are we low again?"

"Reaching twelve percent on overall reserves."

"Tell me when we hit ten." He raised the fist of the suit and knocked off two of the flybys with sniper rounds.

The other two noticed his speedy arrival and switched the course of their aim. They split-one going left and the other right-to pin him between their flying machines. Tony waited until they were within his arm span and then snapped his hands down on the front edges of their vehicles. The back popped up and sent the riders careening through the air and smashing into each other. Tony watched them fall with deep satisfaction.

Then he spotted something he didn't like.

"Cap!"

"Roger," someone spoke in his helmet.

"How far away are you from…"

"Sinclair and South White Road, sir," Jarvis said.

"Yeah, that."

"Uh…a few blocks. Why?"

"Cause we got a force making a move on the ground here. Any way you can get a handful of men over here? I don't want to blast the area and hit civies."

"Civies?" Steve Roger's voice got that boyish confusion that Tony loved to pick on.

"Yeah," Tony answered with a roll of his eyes, "Those people that we sometimes save from total oblivion."

"Oh. Civilians. Roger that. Sending troops your way."

Tony observed from above until the promised men arrived and then powered south in the direction of base when Jarvis told him that he had reached ten percent on energy reserves.

Then he saw him.

Loki.

Strolling west without a care in the world, armor catching and throwing rays of light, magical glow stick of destiny absent from his hand. What was he up too...

"Fury, I've got Loki."

"What?" came the flabbergasted reply.

"Loki. You know, the big scary guy with the big scary army that we're fighting. Black hair, sassy attitude-"

"I'm aware, Stark. Give me his location."

Tony did so and then followed the black haired man without command. He looked like he was walking to a bar to meet friends, not heading to an underground base to plot and practice his evil laugh.

"Stark, go keep Thor company," Fury said, "Agents Barton and Romanoff will monitor the new situation."

Tony glanced over his shoulder to see fat clouds roll over airborne enemies, eating them up and spitting the devils out with electricity still glittering on their lifeless forms. Thor had a whole section of the south end of the city as his playpen.

"Looks like he's got it covered. Besides, I want to play spy. I have a new tracker installed-"

"Thor. Now." Fury was using his I'm-the-commander-you're-the-commandee voice and the man in the iron suit knew just how well that usually went.

"You only want me to babysit. I've got far more important things to do than keep Thor away from his baby brother."

"Just make sure he doesn't leave his position."

Tony rolled his eyes, but abandoned Loki. "He's going to find out that you're only placating him and you know how Thor reacts when stupid people give him orders..." Tony watched the god of thunder throw a bolt of lightning so hot that it disintegrated the chitauri whose chest it entered. Other enemies gripped their heads in pain as brain-shattering thunder pounded.

"Well he won't find out if you get your butt over there."

"Yes, sir, commander sir," Tony said through gritted teeth.

. . .

"What is he doing?" Natasha heard Clint ask through her earpiece. They had been trailing Loki for the past hour-she within earshot and he far above on rooftops. She credited their luck that he hadn't simply teleported somewhere else. Because he seemed capable of doing that. The sneaky bastard seemed capable of anything.

"Still heading for the center of the city. Take Lockhill Selma," she whispered, letting Loki get a little farther ahead so that he couldn't hear her.

"Shouldn't his base be closer to the fighting?" Clint's voice was still as level as if he were sitting in a rocking chair and drinking lemonade. Not that he would ever do that. Natasha shook her head.

"I'm not sure that he's headed to any base," she replied.

Loki had stopped and knelt down. She couldn't see what he was doing from this angle, but when he stood back up, he drew two fingers down the line of each arm. A gentle wind tugged at his clothing and it seemed to come off in quick wisps, like the metal and cloth were stolen out of existence. In their place was a normal-though expensive looking-gentleman's suit.

Natasha's eyes narrowed. What was he up to?

Loki continued alone for a good while longer. Natasha wondered why he didn't commandeer a member of his airborne fleet to escort him where he headed. His bowed head and slow footsteps told her observing eyes that he was not completely present, but lost in thought. Every so often he'd wipe his forehead with tired fingers.

She hoped that he regularly took walks to clean his head. It was a prime opportunity for surveillance.

"Ever been to Texas before?" Clint asked.

Natasha was too close to speak now. Within teen feet of Loki. So she made a sign behind her head from a silent code she and Clint had come up with at the beginning of their partnership. She knew that his sharp vision would catch it.

"Just once, eh? It's damn humid," he said with a grunt. Natasha saw his shadow leap between rooftops, cast by the pink glow of a sun starting to set.

Loki suddenly turned and she gracefully rolled behind a nearby trash can. After a moment, he continued on his way.

Natasha made the motion for "be careful".

"Always am," Clint replied easily.

Exactly two minutes later, Loki appeared to reach his destination. It was a simple, small building of light brick nestled in the middle of San Antonio. It bore the state seal of Texas on one wall, but other than that looked relatively boring. He stood in the parking lot, well away from the door, and waited.

The two agents didn't have to wait long to find out what for.

"Crap," Natasha mumbled. She passed a tense hand through flaming hair and settled against a wall bearing a massive mural of a rodeo.

"The governor," Clint stated from his unseen perch. "He's meeting with the governor." The man cursed for a few seconds and then said, "I thought Fury advised him not to dally with the enemy."

"Apparently Stark's not the only one who ignores Fury's orders."

* * *

**I hope you guys enjoyed. Sorry it's not as intense-emotional-drama! as usual. Besides being distracted and on vacation, I've had a hard time writing this chapter for some reason. But I'm glad to bring the Avengers back onto the scene. Hopefully more Thor and some Hulk will be in the future.**

**Thank you so much for reading. If you leave a review, I will love you forever! Also, there may be a contest coming up soon...with prizes...so keep reading.**

**Good day, lovies.**


	8. Resolve

**This is apparently Loki/Jane weekend because three of my favorite fics on here got updates today. I had been planning on writing his chapter _forever_, but school and work have been eating me to the bone. I have to plan everything to get it in. In fact, it's only 9:30 and I was supposed to go to sleep an hour ago, just to keep up with my rest…in other words, I don't have a lot of time to write anymore. But I'm hoping that Saturday-Sunday can be my "A New Battlefield" days.**

**I want to say thank you to everyone who has been reviewing and following! You guys are extremely awesome. If I forgot to reply to your review for chapter 7, I'm sorry! I usually save them in my email but I appear to have lost track of some... Also, I saw a post on tumblr about this story and I nearly had a heart attack. I didn't realize that people liked this enough to talk about it on other sites! Thank you, puresummermagic for doing that. I really like the images you put along with the story. Seeing that made my day and really kick-started me to write this chapter. (Which I did during church…such a rebel.)**

* * *

**Resolve**

Governor Rupert was a young leader who knew how to woo a crowd with a smile and wave. His severely purposeful gait betrayed anxiety, though, and the small wave was an unnecessary reminder that he was only a politician.

Natasha and Clint watched with eyes locked on every detail. The Black Widow saw the stress lines on Rupert's face soften when he took in Loki's mortal garb and Hawkeye counted and paced out guards. There were a few words spoken by the governor and for six seconds, the world stood still to hear Loki's response.

"Then let us begin," he said silkily.

Rupert led his enemy to the building. With ease, a gentle hand pointing in the direction of the door, and a nod to greet the one responsible for the death of hundreds of his people. Natasha had at one time understood what it meant to "do what you can to survive," but this was stupid.

"It's highly fortified. Do you think we can bypass the guards?" Clint asked.

Natasha watched them leave-Rupert with his stiff steps and Loki with his long, fluid ones-desiring to follow them and get some answers, but she knew there was little chance of success. Maybe if Clint shot a zip line-completely feasible-but the guards on top were their allies. Taking them out would serve no good for the dwindling public image of the Avengers. After the disaster that was New York...They definitely could not afford that.

"Let's get back to Fury," she said, "I don't want to create more chaos. Besides, it seems they've met before. I'm sure they'll need to do it again to iron out the details of whatever deal they're making."

"Now at least we know to put a tag on the governor," Clint remarked with a scoff.

"Oh, I'll tag him alright," she said with a pat on her holster.

With that, the widow and hawk took their last looks and went their respective routes back to the battle.

Whatever intel could be gathered from this curious situation would have to be retrieved another time.

…

"I had hoped we could reach some sort of deal," Gov. Rupert said in his best constituent-pleasing voice. In the small room, it failed to reverberate in a way that once inspired cheers. Not that the word "deal" ever meant anything to voters. But Rupert was flexible. He knew when to pander and how to do it to specific audiences.

Loki leaned forward in his chair, forearms resting on the mahogany tabletop. The governor sat directly across from him in a more ornate chair-probably a way of symbolizing to his enemy that Rupert was still in charge. The rest of the room was a bland, four square walls and no window kind of box with wood paneling. The only furniture was the table and two chairs. Loki bet Rupert had his own chair specially brought to subconsciously intimidate.

As if it would work.

"Oh good. You looked rather sick after ending our first meeting early and I was beginning to fear for your…resolve." Loki anticipated his moves. He knew Rupert wanted surrender in exchange for authority later. He was in his youth, drunk off of political victories and blind optimism. And idiocy.

Rupert cleared his throat uncomfortably. Nervous fingers flattened the lapels of his suit jacket. Loki's trademark smirk made its grand appearance. "Well," the governor began, "I had to go home and think about the situation."

Loki nodded. "Understandable. And what did you come up with?"

"I don't want to see anymore Texas citizens harmed in war. This includes soldiers. Our own force can continue fighting, but to what end? You will only meet the occasion with open arms and throw more of your own troops at us. I am prepared to detail surrender on the grounds that certain _statutes_ are maintained and implemented."

"I see. What does Lisa think about all this?" Loki's face betrayed nothing but calm innocence.

"L-Lisa?" Rupert stuttered. All the blood drained from his cheeks. Any confidence his ornate chair suggested evaporated. The sparkling tension in the air tingled as a buzz in the man's ears.

"Yes, Lisa. Your wife, of course. A good leader's mate is often a source of intelligent advice in Asgard. I believe there is a similar conduct here." Loki's calm expression zeroed in to a sharp prick in the governor's eyes. His cheeks were hollow and eyes became piercing. "You are a good leader, are you not?"

Rupert couldn't breathe. The buzzing was a dull roar, a sound like that from the perspective of someone in an airplane cabin taking off on a long journey.

"But that would have been difficult, given the distance, I'm sure," Loki added.

"Distance?" Rupert echoed dumbly.

"Tell me, how does she like the Swiss?"

Rupert stood suddenly and his fingers grasped for an absent weapon. Loki appeared fuzzy as his vision grew hazy-quite like the hissing in his head.

"Oh dear, have I made you ill again?"

"You leave my wife out of this." Rupert was not in familiar territory. He was a young governor. Too young to have experienced a legitimate threat to his family. With one staring him in the face, how was he to react?

"How about your sons? Are David and Joshua old enough to understand what it means to be martyrs-"

"Stop!"

The governor leapt over the table with hands extended in the intention of cutting off that awful voice by whatever means necessary.

Loki raised one finger and Rupert stopped mid-air. He observed the face frozen in a yell. After a few seconds of enjoying the governor's eyes madly twitching in confusion, the god stood. Rupert was probably regretting his decision to obey Loki's command that there to be no guards in the room.

"I am no lover of violence, governor." He walked around the table as he spoke, noting that the man's irises stretched to the edges of their visual range when he neared an unobservable position.

"I do not wish to kill your family. I do not wish to slaughter any more of your forces." Loki unfroze the man's airways and heard him suck in air like a drowning animal through his nostrils. "But I very jealously guard my power-quite like you," he added with a pat on the man's shoulder.

"Therefore, I choose not to waste my time wheedling a bargain out of you that compromises my eventual throne."

Loki flicked his finger and Rupert collapsed on the table. He placed a long hand on Rupert's back, holding him there like one secures a flapping fish.

"You have two days to determine how many more will perish. Surrender your troops to my command on the morning of the third and your family will live."

"They will never fight for you!" Rupert sputtered.

Loki chuckled. "I mean to give your soldiers a fine opportunity to fight in the name of their new world. They have the chance to introduce a new order for everyone. Those who refuse to accept can join their fallen comrades. But should you refuse to surrender-"

"No!"

"I will feed your family to the chitauri while you watch. Your eyes will not be allowed to shut and you will not be allowed to cry out for their release." As he spoke, Loki's voice got lower and lower until Rupert heard it only in his head. "You will only be permitted enough muscle movement to chew off your own tongue as you battle screams of horror."

The governor felt the removal of the hand on his back and got onto his feet with spin.

Loki had vanished.

…

Loki sat stiffly on the couch, knees slow to bend and back ramrod straight. He could hear Jane prying the maid with questions in the bedroom, but the woman was resiliently quiet and only gave the barest answers. He supposed it was both because of his intimidating presence in the building and her well-trained employ.

Loki's forehead was tense and gave him a slight headache as he pondered what had gone on in his meeting with the governor. The man was cowardly, to be sure. The god wasn't certain how such an uninspiring man could become a leader in a land filled with still-resistant warriors, but Midgard had a way of toying with his expectations.

A surge of disgust filled him as the threat he'd made settled in the forefront of thought. Loki was actually unfamiliar with the specific diet of the chitauri, but that vile race seemed capable of anything. Especially devouring a political leader's wife and children.

He wanted to vomit but instead closed his eyes and imagined himself in a calm place.

Jane was laughing in the next room. Was she becoming friends with the Hispanic woman? The light sound somehow eased the pressure in Loki's mind. His eyelids flickered. A sense of peace cloaked the room and suddenly all Loki wanted to do was sleep…

He felt a chill enter his heart and instantly the tension returned in each strand of muscle. The summons to council came as a creeping cold throughout his body, dripping in a backwards motion that started internally and eventually covered his goosefleshed skin. He had little power to ignore a summons.

Loki's consciousness felt the change in atmosphere as he travelled light years in milliseconds. A much thinner oxygen layer was present in this rocky hell. This lost pocket of space was far from any known realm and so when he turned his gaze to the stars, he saw only unfamiliar constellations. For the first time in many weeks, his heart gave a twinge for the skies of Asgard.

"He grows impatient," the red-toothed villain growled from his left. The hooded figure stepped out from behind a cluster of blue-black rock.

Loki battled the chill. The longer he stayed, the worse it got. His frost giant lineage meant that his body was tingling in delight but his soul cringed with a childhood-deep disgust.

"I am close to retrieving the cube," he assured.

"It was in your grasp and you ran from it!" the hood hissed.

"I am connected to the tesseract; even now I feel its tug in my mind. I will not be unable to find it."

"Then take it now!"

With a daring he didn't truly feel, Loki scoffed. "Only to hand it to you before my throne is secure and you withdraw your troops? I think that unwise to complete my end of the bargain before you yours."

The hood growled in his left ear. Loki detested the creature and kept his eyes on the stars. They winked with sadness on his searching green orbs. Did they feel pity for him, he wondered.

"You have many of our chitauri. Crush the humans quickly and be done."

"I wish to rule this world, not obliterate it. They will surrender soon, I believe. They need only an example."

"Then make one. We will not wait forever."

As soon as the tiniest bit of warmth replaced the ice, Loki grasped it hungrily. The blue-black rock was sucked away as his consciousness returned.

For a moment, he sat with clenched eyelids and deep breaths. If Thanos grew too impatient…no, no that was not worth thinking about. Loki would acquire the tesseract. It was only a matter of time and maneuvering.

Loki opened his eyes.

And jerked further into the couch.

Jane Foster was bent in front of him with wide eyes and one hand positioned as if to prod him. As she saw him flinch, she too retreated. "Um…you were…you didn't look…you were trembling," she whispered while still staring.

"It is nothing."

"You are like a sheet, you're so white."

Loki looked at his hands. Indeed all the color once present had faded. Not liking the smallness her concern inspired in him, he stood and went to the window, not really seeing the fine city spread at his feet.

The god instead went back to the night he had lost himself upon killing Brennon. Without really knowing where he was going, he remembered appearing in Jane's bedroom. In the back of his head, a part of him had known that her banter would bring him back to the surface. It hadn't been about anything other than striking up an argument with her.

So strange. He could not recall consciously realizing it and yet that had been his first instinct. Since when had his true self been locked up, only to be released when in aggressive dialogue with a female scientist?

Loki tingled with annoyance that he had had a moment of dependence, but more than that he was curious.

"Did you go somewhere just now?" Jane asked, stepping beside him and peering down at the riverwalk.

"In a way," he replied.

"In a way," she repeated, "Is this one of those Asgardian things I don't know about?"

Loki was surprised to feel a slight smile creep onto his face. His head turned to look at her. She did not move to face him and brought her hands to the glass…as if she were touching the world outside.

"I can't imagine there are very many Asgardian things you _do_ know about," he said.

"I know about the rainbow bridge," Jane stated, as if that defeated his statement.

He raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"And what?"

"A single bridge hardly appropriately describes an entire realm."

"Excuse me for not doing my research," she muttered back.

Loki laughed. Jane nearly jumped at the sound. It was bright and real in the sense that it actually stemmed from cheer. "I'll excuse you, Jane Foster. But Thor I shall not. To have only told you scraps of Asgard is a shameful representation of our-"

He stopped. Laughter turned to frost in his throat.

"_His_ home," he finished in near silence.

* * *

**The Avengers _finally_ came to the dollar theater near my apartment so I saw it yesterday to get fresh inspiration for this chapter. Third time I've seen it in theaters. Still an amazing movie.**

**Hope you guys liked it. I promise there will be more Jane in the next chapter. Be good, lovies!**


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